This is truly a meaty book about a creature with bite: the crocodile. The book is a blend of natural and social history and science: habitat, conservation, diet, evolution.

The author also dispells crocodile myths and legends. For example, although sensational news, crocodile attacks are rare. In fact, in Africa, the odds of being killed by a hippopotamus are much greater than by a crocodile. Learn more, read Crocodile.

I thought the book looked very interesting. The topic, crocodiles, was unfamiliar to me, so I learned a lot of cool stuff about these reptilians.

Did you know that when a crocodile is hiding under the water, it can regulate blood flow to different parts of the body? This allows the crocodile to use less oxygen. Did you know that when it has a huge fatal gash, its body cuts off blood to the gash? This reduces blood loss.

I had a great time reading this book; it was one of the most interesting non-fiction books I’ve ever read. The pictures of the crocodiles were phenomenal, and I also enjoyed the highly detailed map in the middle. My favourite part was the folklore. I had no idea that crocodiles were the subjects of so many fairy tales, especially in Africa.

My impression of this book was great, but I don’t recommend it to all readers. Advanced readers would benefit the most from this book. Overall, I’d give Crocodile a score of 9 out of 10. This was a refreshing book that gives you a chance to know more about a mysterious creature.

(Originally published in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of YES Mag.)